What do we need to do to have our plans work out? I remember decades ago talking to someone at church who said when his father prayed about a business decision that answer he heard always seemed to fit with what he already wanted to do. Now while the father seemed to do okay in business his son doubted he was always being led by the Lord. So is that how we should spiritually approach practical matters? What about looking at a small slice of Proverbs for some wisdom?
1 The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. 3 Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:1-3 (NKJV)
What can we apply from these three verses? First, rather than preparing our plans we need to prepare our hearts. The word ‘preparations’ is presented as ‘plans’ in some translations. We need to make preparations but then need to offer them up before Yahweh. I think a good commentary on this verse is in Habakkuk.
1 I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. Habakkuk 2:1 (NKJV)
Are we open to hearing an answer we weren’t looking for? I think it is wisdom to hold this heart attitude and be open to Jesus redirecting our agenda. After all the next verse is in essence saying, ‘We may think we know how we are doing but Yahweh looks inside and actually knows.’ This means we need to apply verse three. We are to commit what to we doing to Jesus for His direction and in so doing He will settle and establish what is in our hearts.
Simple and practical – not always easy to apply but worth practicing. If you wonder how this works prepare your heart and bring your plans before Him. When You have peace established in your heart regarding a certain direction you are being led by the Holy Spirit. This may happen in minutes, days, weeks or months. The important piece is to commit and hold it before Him until we know and if we don’t know to hold a decision until we do.
